Ross McKeon’s top 10 Sharks of all time

1. Joe Thornton (2005-present): The team’s No. 1 center since the day he stepped into San Jose’s lineup Dec. 2, 2005, “Jumbo” appears destined for the Hall of Fame. He could pass six more on the all-time assists list this season to rank No. 13 behind Joe Sakic. And he would crack the top 30 in points all time with at least 77.

2. Patrick Marleau (1997-present): Embarking on his 18th NHL season — all with the team that drafted him second overall behind Boston’s pick of Thornton in 1997 — Marleau ranks 56th all-time with 456 career goals and 52nd with 1,329 games played, a category he might rule if he plays into his early 40s. Oh yeah, “Patty” also owns almost every significant team offensive record in the regular season and playoffs.

3. Evgeni Nabokov ( 2000-2010): Affectionately known as “Nabby,” San Jose’s ninth-round pick in 1994 basically wrote the franchise record book for goalkeeping during his 10 years with the Sharks: No. 1 in games (563), minutes (32,492), wins (293), shutouts (50) and he owns or is tied for the five longest unbeaten streaks in team history. And he became the league’s first European netminder to score a power-play goal for the cherry on top.

4. Owen Nolan (1995-2003): Acquired from Colorado in October 1995 for the No. 10 player on this list, Nolan matured into an intimidating power forward who could score, fight and lead his team night in and night out. He led a resurgent San Jose franchise into the playoffs five straight springs, but might be best remembered throughout the NHL for calling his shot against Dominik Hasek to cap a hat trick during the ’97 All-Star Game in San Jose.

5. Mike Ricci (1997-2004): There were players with more goals and more points, but no one exhibited more heart and determination than this 6-foot willowy center who knew no fear. Easily recognized with his long, flowing black hair and missing-teeth smile, Ricci embodied what the Sharks were during his seven seasons: scrappy and a pain to play against.

6. Igor Larionov (1993-95): “The Professor” was in San Jose for just a short time — 97 games spread over three seasons — but one of the greatest Russian-born players of all time had a huge impact. Larionov centered San Jose’s potent first line that led the third-year team in 1993-94 to a league-record 58-point turnaround from the previous season and into the playoffs for the first time. Once there, Larionov & Co. upset top-seeded Detroit and took Toronto to Game 7 in the second round before bowing out.

7. Arturs Irbe (1991-1996): “Archie” was the first in a continuous line of popular goalies in San Jose. The lovable Latvian spent five up-and-down seasons with the Sharks. Irbe was as unpredictable and entertaining off the ice as on it with his candid comments delivered with an economy of the English language. Headlining Irbe’s workhorse season of ’93-94 were the league-record 4,412 minutes he played.

8. Joe Pavelski (2006-present): Nicknamed the team’s “Swiss Army Knife” because of his full toolbox, the team’s seventh-round pick (205th overall) in 2003 first excelled as a two-way third-line center before transforming into a goal-scoring right wing on San Jose’s top line. Pavelski has logged double figures in goals in all nine of his seasons, including a combined 78 the past two.

9. Jonathan Cheechoo (2002-09): The pure goal-scorer from Moose Factory, Ontario, set the bar high with his team-record and league-leading 56 goals in 2005-06, taking full advantage of playing right wing beside the slick-passing Thornton. Cheechoo scored 121 goals in the span of three seasons, but disappeared as quickly as he burst on the scene because of injury and a newer, faster NHL post-lockout.

10. Sandis Ozolinsh (1992-95, 2007-08): A second-round pick by San Jose in ’91, he spent four years and 173 games in teal before being dealt for Nolan. After playing for five other teams, he returned to San Jose in 2007 to play the final 39 games of his career. “Ozie” was the closest the Sharks have come to developing a legitimate No. 1 defenseman who trended toward the offensive end of the rink.